Sunningdale School, Sunderland
Sunningdale School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Sunderland. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sunningdale School in detail
Sunningdale School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At Sunningdale we believe that every child is an individual. They are ‘them’ and are unlike anyone else. As a result of this the goals and aspirations that every child and their family have are also individual."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Sunningdale School are Thornhill Park School (0.5 miles, Good); Barbara Priestman Academy (1.2 miles, Good); North View Academy (1.4 miles, Good); and Ashbrooke School (1.7 miles, Good).
Thornhill Park SchoolBarbara Priestman AcademyNorth View AcademyAshbrooke School
Who goes there
52.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 6.5% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Sunningdale School has an education, health and care plan (150 of 153 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
Sunningdale School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is South Hylton (Tyne and Wear Metro Station), about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sunningdale Road (w-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Sunningdale School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 250 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Sunderland (148), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Sunningdale School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from April 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its April 2013 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
52.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Sunningdale School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sunningdale School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sunningdale School is in Sunderland; for families living there:
Apply to Sunderland for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 43
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 43 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 32 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot.
14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
96%
Near capacity
153 pupils
160 places
7 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sunderland
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sunderland
Across Sunderland council
Places available
3,305
Applications
2,921
Got 1st preference
92.9%
Got preferred school
97.9%
All secondary applications across Sunderland council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
150
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Sunningdale School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
153
Total Pupils
94
Boys
59
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
6.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,654
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.6%
Overall absence
23.6%
Persistent absence
127
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Sunningdale School
What are SATs results like at Sunningdale School?
Of the pupils at Sunningdale School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Sunningdale School's Ofsted rating?
Sunningdale School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Sunningdale School?
No fixed boundary. When Sunningdale School is oversubscribed, Sunderland allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Sunningdale School?
Sunningdale School has around 153 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Sunningdale School have specialist SEN provision?
Sunningdale School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Sunningdale School?
7.6% of sessions were missed at Sunningdale School in 2024/25. 23.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sunningdale School?
Apply through Sunderland's coordinated admissions process, naming Sunningdale School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Sunningdale School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 43 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 32 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot. 14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Sunderland is 13 (the median across 125 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sunningdale School?
Sunningdale School is at Doxford Park Way, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 2PP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)